plötzlich German · revision 35666

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1320, Middle High German}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈplœt͡slɪç/, [ˈpʰl̥œt͡slɪç]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''plötzlich'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|de|Plotz|-lich]]: the obsolete noun was a sound-imitating word for a quick, often loud blow, impact or fall.^(Kluge 2011|712)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden 7 2020) Kluge notes that the noun itself is recorded only later than the adjective.^(Kluge 2011|712) It goes back to [[gmh|blaz]] “blow”, and an interjection [[plotz]] “plop, bang” is recorded from the 16th century.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Köbler MHD) The sense grew out of the speed and unexpectedness of such a blow: the word properly meant “at a stroke, at the moment of a bang”.^(Kluge 2011|712)^(Duden 7 2020) It replaced [[gmh|gæhelingen|t=suddenly, violently]] (see [[jäh]]).^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ Middle Low German had [[m|gml|plutzlik]] and [[m|gml|plutzich]], the source of [[da|pludselig]] and [[sv|plötslig]].^(Wiktionary)^(Pfeifer 1993) Early New High German also had [[plözling]], from which comes [[yi|פּלוצלינג|tr=plutsling]].^(Wiktionary) [[nl|plotseling]], which replaced older [[m|nl|plotzelijk]], developed in the same way.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record, about 1320, is the strengthened Central German adverb ''unplozlich'' “all too suddenly”, in Köditz's life of St Ludwig: bad news is to be broken so that the hearer is not startled too suddenly.^(DWB|13, 1937)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Luther wrote ''plutzlich'' in 1517, and ''plützlich'' was also common in the 16th century.^(Paul 2002)^(DWB|13, 1937) The word was an adverb at first; as an adjective it is found only from Luther on, as in ''plötzliche Furcht'' in the Book of Job.^(DWB|13, 1937)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002) Under the influence of [[Blitz]] there was also a form ''blitzlich''.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|13, 1937) Beside it stood ''plotzig'' (16th century) and the phrase ''auf den Plotz'' or ''auf einen Plutz'' “at one stroke” (17th century), which Lessing still used.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ Unlike [[schnell]], the word often stresses the unexpected;^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793) Adelung observed that it was said more often of unpleasant changes than of pleasant ones.^(Paul 2002)^(Adelung 1793) Nietzsche contrasted ''die Plötzlichen'', those quick to decide, with those who decide slowly and hold fast (1888).^(Paul 2002) From the early 20th century ''ein bisschen plötzlich!'' has been a call to hurry up, first recorded for Berlin in 1904 and later used by Brecht in the ''Dreigroschenoper''.^(Paul 2002) The Dutch word ''plotseling'' is first recorded in 1642.^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1320 – First record, as ''unplozlich'', in Köditz's life of St Ludwig.^(DWB|13, 1937)^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 1517 – Luther writes ''plutzlich''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 16th century – ''plützlich'' and ''plotzig'' are current;^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) Luther's Bible uses the word as an adjective.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 17th century – The phrase ''auf einen Plotz'' “at one stroke” is current.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1642 – First record of Dutch ''plotseling''.^(LWP)

+ * 1888 – Nietzsche writes of ''die Plötzlichen''.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 1904 – ''Aber 'n bissken plötzlich!'' is recorded in Berlin.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|sudden]], unexpected, happening from one moment to the next: ''ein plötzlicher Wetterumschwung''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|suddenly]], all at once: ''Plötzlich ging im ganzen Haus das Licht aus.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(colloquial)'' ''ein bisschen plötzlich!'', ''etwas plötzlich!'': hurry up!^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[urplötzlich]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[Plotz]]

+ * [[plotzen]]

+ * [[jäh]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}